County treasurer has Sunshine tax documents

April 6, 2013

WARREN - Trumbull County Treasurer Sam Lamancusa said he plans to meet with the director of Sunshine Inc. early next week to review documents and paperwork that the nonprofit organization submitted to him on Thursday.

Recently, Lamancusa had given Sunshine director Anthony Iannucci two weeks to find a way to pay $188,000 worth of delinquent property taxes and fees or to get into a repayment plan that would allow it to repay the back taxes over a five-year period.

The City of Warren and Trumbull County created Sunshine in 1993 using federal HOME grants to provide housing for low-income residents. Sunshine obtained money from the city and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to purchase, rehab and construct homes, mostly in Warren. Iannucci said he doesn't know how much money Sunshine has drawn since its inception, but the nonprofit continues to draw government funds.

Iannucci has acknowledged the organization is behind on its property taxes. He says the organization has had a cash flow problems, in part because it no longer is receiving administration fees from HUD.

Iannucci last week said he expects to be able to present a plan to the county treasurer that will enable to the organization to pay the property taxes. He also has emphasized that the agency has done nothing illegal.

Councilman Alford Novak, D-2nd Ward, has called a finance committee meeting for 3 p.m. Tuesday to discuss Sunshine, its finances and issues it is having paying property taxes owed to the county.

Earlier this week, Councilwoman Helen Rucker, D-at large, called a council Health and Welfare committee meeting for 4 p.m. Tuesday to discuss many of the same issues.